The medical field is constantly changing as new research and discoveries are being made. Because of the emphasis placed on health literacy, many patients today are able to become experts in their disease or diagnosis so that they can collaborate with their doctors about decisions concerning their condition. Websites, media, literature, support groups, libraries, and on-line chat rooms are just a few resources that we can use to find out more about a medical condition or help to prevent a disease. Because of new technological advances, we are able to find medical information much more easily than in the past. Not only does technology affect information seeking for the average individual, doctors and health care provider will also be able to connect with each other improving the quality of medical care. We are in the middle of a significant medical shift as individuals are able to become more active in the medical information seeking process.
"The future of healthcare is centered on the distinct needs of patients and connecting the right information at the right time to help make decisions about their care." - Philip George
There are many interesting aspects of Human Information Behavior as it relates to medical and health issues. Privacy, access to information and the digital divide, information credibility, and the marketing of drugs and other health consumables directly to patients are serious and complex issues we all deal with where medical issues are concerned, and are beyond the scope of this presentation. This presentation and our discussions will focus on how patients make use of their access to information, issues of health information literacy and how to accomodate patients with low health literacy in a library setting, and the potential impact of technology on health information.
This presentation is intended to be viewed in sequential parts - let's start with Part 1 - The Patient.
Human Behavior: Medical Information
Introduction
The medical field is constantly changing as new research and discoveries are being made. Because of the emphasis placed on health literacy, many patients today are able to become experts in their disease or diagnosis so that they can collaborate with their doctors about decisions concerning their condition. Websites, media, literature, support groups, libraries, and on-line chat rooms are just a few resources that we can use to find out more about a medical condition or help to prevent a disease. Because of new technological advances, we are able to find medical information much more easily than in the past. Not only does technology affect information seeking for the average individual, doctors and health care provider will also be able to connect with each other improving the quality of medical care. We are in the middle of a significant medical shift as individuals are able to become more active in the medical information seeking process.There are many interesting aspects of Human Information Behavior as it relates to medical and health issues. Privacy, access to information and the digital divide, information credibility, and the marketing of drugs and other health consumables directly to patients are serious and complex issues we all deal with where medical issues are concerned, and are beyond the scope of this presentation. This presentation and our discussions will focus on how patients make use of their access to information, issues of health information literacy and how to accomodate patients with low health literacy in a library setting, and the potential impact of technology on health information.